Eton Mess

July/Aug 2010

One of the best expressions of whipped cream is Eton Mess – a delicious rubble of crumbled meringues, fruit and cream. Invented and served at England’s Eton College, it’s like a pavlova that fell from a great height and landed on your plate.

In a medium bowl, roughly mash the berries; sprinkle them with 1 T. of sugar and set them aside to macerate. Beat the cream with 1 T. of sugar (or more) and the vanilla until soft peaks form, then fold the cream into the berries.

In small bowls, crumble a meringue cookie or two; top it with the berry-cream mixture. If you like, add another layer of each. Serves 6.